LONDON/HONG KONG (Reuters) - China's huge fleet of coastal ships, usually confined to plying the Chinese seaboard, has sailed out of the shadows to seek international business in yet another sign that China's economy is slowing.

Cyprus is close to securing a bilateral loan from Russia, a senior finance ministry official told Dow Jones Newswires Wednesday, while another official said funding for the island may be sourced from both Europe and a separate sovereign state.

Debt-stricken Greece is surviving on oil priced at a premium from trading houses Vitol and Glencore, who have stepped in as suppliers of last resort after sanctions forced Greece to halt imports from its main supplier Iran.

Tony Blair's decision to openly court Rupert Murdoch to win power and ensure favorable coverage during his decade-long tenure as British prime minister will come under scrutiny when he faces a media inquiry on Monday.

Facebook (FB) got a black eye last week when General Motors (GM) announced it would cease advertising on the platform, yanking $10 million in annual ad spending away from Mark Zuckerberg just days before the company's IPO.